First Blue Sky
Cincinnati, Ohio | Film Short
Crime, Romance
When you look into the eyes of another, after some time, it is like looking into a mirror. “First Blue Sky” is a neo-noir romance-mystery set in the near future. The film is gritty and surreal, with a narrative focus on relational dependency, projection, and manipulation.
First Blue Sky
Cincinnati, Ohio | Film Short
Crime, Romance
1 Campaigns | Ohio, United States
36 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$3,945
Goal: $3,000 for production
When you look into the eyes of another, after some time, it is like looking into a mirror. “First Blue Sky” is a neo-noir romance-mystery set in the near future. The film is gritty and surreal, with a narrative focus on relational dependency, projection, and manipulation.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
When a solitary salesman, Jack, takes in a lost woman, Christy, their brief refuge in a hotel becomes a descent into obsession and a fragile illusion of love.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The downtown street is busy with life, with people hurrying to their destination. One woman, though, seems disoriented, moving slowly. In a red dress, Christy slows to a halt in the middle of the sidewalk. A bit of blood trickles from behind her ear and down her neck. She holds her head and winces at the light and noise, breathing more heavily. Suddenly, an arm turns her around. A man, Jack, throws a purse on her shoulder and wipes the blood away. He touches up her hair and reapplies some lipstick as she stands slack-jawed, as if drugged. Jack ushers Christy down the street.
This is the opening to First Blue Sky, drawing from the beautiful urban scenery of downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, the film owes deep homage to those filmmakers who made the city a living and breathing place (Wong Kar-Wai, Michael Mann, and more). First Blue Sky aims to strike a balance between 80s neo-noir and contemporary cinema elements, with a sleek and modern aesthetic supported by experimental editing techniques.
Jack: The protagonist, a man in his mid to late 20s. Jack represents a generation of young people in the workforce who have been pushed into a hyper-commercialized and alienating environment. Barely making ends meet, Jack has found himself wrapped up in a dangerous criminal environment. Jack desperately craves love and understanding, which results in a strange and fantastical relationship with Christy of his own design.
Christy: The mysterious love interest, a woman in her mid to late 20s. Christy is representative of romantic and emotional phantasm, or the people we shape our partners and love interests to be in our minds. She is an escape for Jack, a muse, a project - whatever he wants her to be, she can become. Throughout the film, however, conflict arises as she begins to become aware of her inconsistent past and her distorted mind.
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It is my last year as an undergraduate film student. They say that every project is a stepping stone to the next project. It's funny how, in the writing process, I often don't realize where the inspiration for my story originated from until after the script is fully written (and sometimes even after the film is complete!). In this case, however, I'm realizing early on that First Blue Sky is a story deeply inspired by the relationship between my mother and father - a man who is invariably lost, a woman who is subject to idealization. Since they passed in 2020, I have desperately sought ways to express my complex relationship to and between them in my work. I had not arrived at a way to both satisfy my stylistic desires and my need to tell a story that is personal. Until now. By supporting our film, you are contributing to the artistic futures of highly talented young filmmakers. This is one of the rare occasions in the industry in which we have complete creative autonomy - help us to achieve our dream of creating something exciting, both classic and modern, propelling the next generation of cinema.
Sincerely,
Dakota Summer, October 30th, 2025
Writer and Director - First Blue Sky
First Blue Sky is an ambitious short film about memory, love, and the danger of trying to rebuild what’s already lost. Created by a team of emerging filmmakers from the Greater Cincinnati area, this project blends intimate human drama with striking visual storytelling to explore how technology and grief collide. Consider supporting First Blue Sky; every contribution brings us closer to our dream.
First Blue Sky is a project associated with Northern Kentucky University. Dakota Summer, along with cinematographer Camilo Idrobo (pictured left), are the first in the school's history to embark on a senior thesis film project as an independent study, setting an exciting precedent for the university. By supporting our project, you are uplifting the student filmmaker community, not just in NKU, but in the entire region!
Dealing with themes of love in the information age and the advent of artificial intelligence, there is no better time for First Blue Sky to be made than now. We are the precipice of a mass cultural and technological shift around the world. Specifically, the all-consuming nature of a digital social environment, the alienating effects of post-modern society, and the constant redefinitions of love and relationships in the 2020s have impacted and influenced the narrative scope of our film.
We are currently in pre-production, holding weekly meetings, and going over our next steps as we get closer to shooting.
- We will spend November and December of 2025 finishing up pre-production. This will mostly involve obtaining and clearing our locations, putting together shooting schedules, and sourcing/building our props.
- When the new year comes around, we will hit the ground running, shooting throughout January and February of 2026.
- Picture lock will be completed by the end of March, and during that month, we will be shooting any pickups/reshoots we need.
- In April, we will be doing our color pass, our sound mix, and composing original music for the film.
Upon the film's completion, it will run the festival circuit for about a year before its public release. Below is the distribution breakdown:
May 2026: Early private screening at Northern Kentucky University, putting together wrap book.
Jun–Sep 2026: Submit to top-tier festivals.
Fall 2026–Spring 2027: Continue festival circuit
Spring 2027: Public/online premiere for general audiences, aggregator submissions
Our fiscal needs mostly involve food and the general costs of production. By being affiliated with Northern Kentucky University, we are fortunate enough to have access to cinema-grade equipment and experienced student filmmakers that we will utilize at minimal to zero cost. With that being said, we still need to be fed on set, and with this being a "near-future" story, there are some unique production design elements that will cost us.
In the case that we exceed our goal, the additional funds will go toward extra/unexpected costs of production, festival submissions, and mileage reimbursement for crew/cast traveling long distances.
Stay up to date as First Blue Sky comes to life! Follow us on:
- Instagram @firstblueskyfilm
- Facebook Page - First Blue Sky
- Tiktok @FirstBlueSkyFilm
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Food!
Costs $1,000
Did you know, a crew running on an empty stomach may be responsible for up to 90% of shooting disasters? (no source, just a hypothesis)
Production Design & Locations
Costs $500
With this film being set in the near-future, there are some production design elements that won't be every day items.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Our team is a vibrant mix of professionals and eager students in and around the Greater Cincinnati Area. Some of our key crew members include:
Dakota Summer is an upcoming filmmaker based in the Greater Cincinnati, Ohio area. Summer has written and directed a multitude of award-winning short films as part of his Northern Kentucky University education, and aspires to become more involved in the independent filmmaking scene after he graduates in the Spring of 2026.
Roles: Writer, Director, and Producer.
Notable Work: Pieces of You (2024), The Color of Daylight (2025)
Camilo Idrobo is an Ecuadorian filmmaker based in Cincinnati, Ohio. He specializes as a director and cinematographer, and his work has been recognized in national and international film festivals, art galleries, and media organizations.
Role: Cinematographer
Notable Work: Cruza el Valle (2025)
Liam Pergrem is a filmmaker and cinematographer based in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Role: First Assistant Director
Notable Work: Heaven Can't Hold Me (2025)
Marissa Christmann: Producer
Abigail Horn: Art Director
John Hensey: Sound Mixer
Chris Strobel: Producer and Mentor
And many more...!
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
When a solitary salesman, Jack, takes in a lost woman, Christy, their brief refuge in a hotel becomes a descent into obsession and a fragile illusion of love.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The downtown street is busy with life, with people hurrying to their destination. One woman, though, seems disoriented, moving slowly. In a red dress, Christy slows to a halt in the middle of the sidewalk. A bit of blood trickles from behind her ear and down her neck. She holds her head and winces at the light and noise, breathing more heavily. Suddenly, an arm turns her around. A man, Jack, throws a purse on her shoulder and wipes the blood away. He touches up her hair and reapplies some lipstick as she stands slack-jawed, as if drugged. Jack ushers Christy down the street.
This is the opening to First Blue Sky, drawing from the beautiful urban scenery of downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, the film owes deep homage to those filmmakers who made the city a living and breathing place (Wong Kar-Wai, Michael Mann, and more). First Blue Sky aims to strike a balance between 80s neo-noir and contemporary cinema elements, with a sleek and modern aesthetic supported by experimental editing techniques.
Jack: The protagonist, a man in his mid to late 20s. Jack represents a generation of young people in the workforce who have been pushed into a hyper-commercialized and alienating environment. Barely making ends meet, Jack has found himself wrapped up in a dangerous criminal environment. Jack desperately craves love and understanding, which results in a strange and fantastical relationship with Christy of his own design.
Christy: The mysterious love interest, a woman in her mid to late 20s. Christy is representative of romantic and emotional phantasm, or the people we shape our partners and love interests to be in our minds. She is an escape for Jack, a muse, a project - whatever he wants her to be, she can become. Throughout the film, however, conflict arises as she begins to become aware of her inconsistent past and her distorted mind.
It is my last year as an undergraduate film student. They say that every project is a stepping stone to the next project. It's funny how, in the writing process, I often don't realize where the inspiration for my story originated from until after the script is fully written (and sometimes even after the film is complete!). In this case, however, I'm realizing early on that First Blue Sky is a story deeply inspired by the relationship between my mother and father - a man who is invariably lost, a woman who is subject to idealization. Since they passed in 2020, I have desperately sought ways to express my complex relationship to and between them in my work. I had not arrived at a way to both satisfy my stylistic desires and my need to tell a story that is personal. Until now. By supporting our film, you are contributing to the artistic futures of highly talented young filmmakers. This is one of the rare occasions in the industry in which we have complete creative autonomy - help us to achieve our dream of creating something exciting, both classic and modern, propelling the next generation of cinema.
Sincerely,
Dakota Summer, October 30th, 2025
Writer and Director - First Blue Sky
First Blue Sky is an ambitious short film about memory, love, and the danger of trying to rebuild what’s already lost. Created by a team of emerging filmmakers from the Greater Cincinnati area, this project blends intimate human drama with striking visual storytelling to explore how technology and grief collide. Consider supporting First Blue Sky; every contribution brings us closer to our dream.
First Blue Sky is a project associated with Northern Kentucky University. Dakota Summer, along with cinematographer Camilo Idrobo (pictured left), are the first in the school's history to embark on a senior thesis film project as an independent study, setting an exciting precedent for the university. By supporting our project, you are uplifting the student filmmaker community, not just in NKU, but in the entire region!
Dealing with themes of love in the information age and the advent of artificial intelligence, there is no better time for First Blue Sky to be made than now. We are the precipice of a mass cultural and technological shift around the world. Specifically, the all-consuming nature of a digital social environment, the alienating effects of post-modern society, and the constant redefinitions of love and relationships in the 2020s have impacted and influenced the narrative scope of our film.
We are currently in pre-production, holding weekly meetings, and going over our next steps as we get closer to shooting.
- We will spend November and December of 2025 finishing up pre-production. This will mostly involve obtaining and clearing our locations, putting together shooting schedules, and sourcing/building our props.
- When the new year comes around, we will hit the ground running, shooting throughout January and February of 2026.
- Picture lock will be completed by the end of March, and during that month, we will be shooting any pickups/reshoots we need.
- In April, we will be doing our color pass, our sound mix, and composing original music for the film.
Upon the film's completion, it will run the festival circuit for about a year before its public release. Below is the distribution breakdown:
May 2026: Early private screening at Northern Kentucky University, putting together wrap book.
Jun–Sep 2026: Submit to top-tier festivals.
Fall 2026–Spring 2027: Continue festival circuit
Spring 2027: Public/online premiere for general audiences, aggregator submissions
Our fiscal needs mostly involve food and the general costs of production. By being affiliated with Northern Kentucky University, we are fortunate enough to have access to cinema-grade equipment and experienced student filmmakers that we will utilize at minimal to zero cost. With that being said, we still need to be fed on set, and with this being a "near-future" story, there are some unique production design elements that will cost us.
In the case that we exceed our goal, the additional funds will go toward extra/unexpected costs of production, festival submissions, and mileage reimbursement for crew/cast traveling long distances.
Stay up to date as First Blue Sky comes to life! Follow us on:
- Instagram @firstblueskyfilm
- Facebook Page - First Blue Sky
- Tiktok @FirstBlueSkyFilm
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Food!
Costs $1,000
Did you know, a crew running on an empty stomach may be responsible for up to 90% of shooting disasters? (no source, just a hypothesis)
Production Design & Locations
Costs $500
With this film being set in the near-future, there are some production design elements that won't be every day items.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Our team is a vibrant mix of professionals and eager students in and around the Greater Cincinnati Area. Some of our key crew members include:
Dakota Summer is an upcoming filmmaker based in the Greater Cincinnati, Ohio area. Summer has written and directed a multitude of award-winning short films as part of his Northern Kentucky University education, and aspires to become more involved in the independent filmmaking scene after he graduates in the Spring of 2026.
Roles: Writer, Director, and Producer.
Notable Work: Pieces of You (2024), The Color of Daylight (2025)
Camilo Idrobo is an Ecuadorian filmmaker based in Cincinnati, Ohio. He specializes as a director and cinematographer, and his work has been recognized in national and international film festivals, art galleries, and media organizations.
Role: Cinematographer
Notable Work: Cruza el Valle (2025)
Liam Pergrem is a filmmaker and cinematographer based in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Role: First Assistant Director
Notable Work: Heaven Can't Hold Me (2025)
Marissa Christmann: Producer
Abigail Horn: Art Director
John Hensey: Sound Mixer
Chris Strobel: Producer and Mentor
And many more...!